Flush valve



Jan. 31, 1939.

E. F. METZGER FLUSH VALVE Filed Ju1y`1e,`19s7 2 sheetsheet 1 ,ld/IZ-, im www,

Jan. 31, 1939. E, 'F METZGE 2,145,772

FLUSH VALVE Filed July 16, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 'Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSH VALVE Edgar F. Metzger, Logansport, Ind. n Application July 16, Y1937, rSerial No. 154,059

VL7 clams. (o1. 137-93) f This invention is directed to an improvement in'iiush valves, wherein provision is made for a more certain control and cut-olf of the flow, .and

`wherein the parts are few in numben'associated for convenient access for. repair or replacement,

and arranged to provide complete efciency for a long period. y

, 4Thejprimary object is the provision of a flush valvestructure, `including La primary valve nort 10 mally held closed by the service-water pressure, f and a manually-controlled secondary valve to in- Yterrupt the holding pressure on the primary valve and permit the opening of the primary valve under itsgunbalanced pressure for flushing.

154 KVA further object of the invention is to provide Y an .operating lever for the secondary valve in such relation to the valve assemblage that the Y handle of the levermay be locatedin the top of the valve housing, thus permitting installation without respect to angles or right or left hand requirements in a particular use.

A Yfurther object is the provision of a water byv-pass for restoring balanced pressure on the primary valve for cutting off the flow, with such by-'pass having adjustable capacity to control Y by-pass flow and thereby control the duration andthus the'volume ofthe flush. y Y

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a ilush y valve'constructed in accordance with the present invention.

s Figure 2 is asection on line 2--2 of Figure 1. ,Figure 3 is a sectional view of the by-pass, showing the adjustable control of the ilow therethrough. n vFigure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a modification of the construction of Figure 1.

` Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a modiiied valve stem assembly.

n Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the modified valve-'stem assembly.

, Figure 7 'is a section on line 1-1 of Figure 6.

In thepreferred formthe improved ush Valve 57,comprises a casing I, having .a bowl-shaped upf per portion at2 and a cylindrical lower section 3.

` y'I'he bowl portion is formed with an internally Y `constitutes an annular ilange extending into the lbowll section, as shown. .n f

The open upper end of the bowl section 2 is closed by a plate-like cover 6, having an annular depending flange 1 fitting within the upper end of the casing, to which flange there is secured, preferably by threading, a depending guide wall 8. Ar primary valve 9 is mounted for sliding movement axially of the casing I, being guided within and by the guide wall 8.

The primary valve 9 comprises an annular upper section I0 having an exterior diameter to permit proper guiding function with the wall 8, this section I0 being of considerable thickness constitutes a weight section for assisting in valve-closing operation. Depending from the section I0, is a relatively thin wall II having its inner cylindrical surfaces concentric with the inner surface of the section I0, the wall II is formed at its lower end with an inwardly-extending, relatively thickened section I2, which through an interposed gasket I3 is arranged to cooperate with the valve seat 5, to cut oil? or establish communication between the valve inlet 4 and outlet 3.

The section I2 of the primary valve is annular, defining a central passage I4 which also extends through a cylindrical extension I2' of the section I2, and the upper surface of the section I2,

inwardly of the wall II provides a valve seat I5, which may be provided with a sealing gasket, or other appropriate sealing means, indicated at I6. A secondary valve I'I cooperates with the seat I5, which secondary valve is of hollow construction, of Truste-conical form, open at the top, as at I8, and has its major diameter at the lower end, with such diameter suilicient to permit the secondary valve to be tilted relative to its seat without interference from the wall II, and yet held bysaid wall II from lateral movement suiiioient to uncover the passage I4.

The weight section I0 of the primary valve extends outwardly of the wall I I, providing an annular abrupt shoulder I9, through which, at an appropriate point, is drilled a small diameter by-pass 20, to establish communication between the interior and exterior of the hollow primary valve 9. The flow through the by-pass 20 is Ycontrolled by an adjustable valve in the form of a set-screw 2|, threaded in the lower end of the by-pass and having a longitudinal channel 22 of gradually-increasing depth upwardly. As the kset-screw is moved in one direction or the other the volume of ilow through the by-pass is obviously controlled. The set-screw is readily acoessible from the outside of the primary Valve for setting of the by-pass during assemblage of the valve parts. Of course, any conventional control of the iiow through the by-pass may be used.

The cover 6 is centrally formed with an opening 23, having an upstanding edge flange 24, with an inwardly extending lip 25, and underlying the opening 23 is a flexible diaphragm 26. This diaphragm is a sheet of rubber, with its edge conforming to and fitting within the flange 1, with Y means, such as a strip 21, secured to the cover 6, providing a sealing juncture between the cover and edge of the diaphragm.

A dome cap 28 overlies the cover 6, such cap having a depending flange 29 formed for threaded connection with the upper end of the casing section 2, and an inwardly-extending shoulder 30 to overlie and bear on the cover 6, for securing the latter in a sealing manner, through a gasket 3| with the upper section of the valve casing. An operating lever 32 extends through an opening 33 in the cap 28, the diameter of the opening 33 being of a diameter to permit necessary free movement of the upper end of the lever. A shield 325 is engaged by the lever, the shield bearing against the inner surface of the cap, and is of a size to completely close the opening 33 in any position of the lever. The lever 32 extends through the diaphragm 2B and is sealed to the latter through an outstanding ange 35 on the lever1 bearing on the upper surface of the diaphragm and a nut 36 threaded on the lever and bearing on the lower surface of the diaphragm. The passage of the lever through the diaphragm is thus sealed against leakage, and the flange 35 on the lever fits with-in the opening 23 of the plate (i, with, however, a degree of freedom per- Vmitting all necessary movements of the lever.

A plate lil is provided on or secured to the lever within the dome cap 28, and a coil spring 32% encircles the lever, bearing between the plates 6' and El. The spring functions to permit necessary movements of the lever and to return the lever to normal position when such lever is released. A coil spring 38 is interposed between the shield llt and plate 3l to yieldably maintain the shield in sliding engagement with the cap 28.

The operating lever 32- extends below the diaphragm 26., with the lower end of such lever arranged within the upper open end of the secondary valve il. The relation of the lower end of the lever and the upper end of the secondary valve is such that an appreciable movement of the lever end in any direction will tilt the secondary valve relative to its seat l5.

In the operation of the formshown in Figures i and 2, water in the service pipe, which is of course under pressure, enters the flush valve inlet d land through the by-pass 29, eventually baiancing pressure on theA exterior and interior surfaces of the primary valve il, permitting the valve to engage the seat 5, and as the secondary valve il is held seated by the internal pressure in the primary valve, the outlet 3 is closed against the inlet 13. The parts are the-n in the positions shown in Figure i. When the lever is moved in any direction the secondary valve is tilted on its seat, and the water within the primary valve permitted to flow through the passage lll. VThe primary valve is thus unbalanced and the external pressure, which remains constant, acting on the shoulders i9, raises the primary valve, establishing full iiow communication between an inlet and outlet for flushing purposes. The water is meanwhile flowing through the by-pass 2li until the primary valve is again balanced, when such valve seats, cutting off the ushing flow. As the flow through the by-pass is controllable, by set-screw 2| the time period for balancing the valve may be predetermined, thus controlling the time and hence the volume of the flush.

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a modified form of the improved flush valve. In Fig. 4, the parts which are omitted from the figure for the sake of clearness are duplicates in structure and function of the cooperating parts in Fig. 1. The modification consists in that the plate corresponding to plate 6 of the preferred form, and indicated at E in the modification, is formed with the lever opening 23', diaphragm 26 and depending ange corresponding to similar parts of the preferred form.

The modification consists essentially of the primary Valve, indicated at 9' in the modification. This primary valve, which in the preferred form is mounted for sliding movement in the guide wall 8, is, in the modification connected to the flange l by a right-angled sheet rubber bushing 39, the upright portion of which as illustrated has sealing connection with the outer surface of the flange 7', while the horizontal portion 4| is connected to the upper end of the primary valve 9'. The primary valve in the modification has a plane outer surface, lacking the shoulders i9 of the preferred form. The bushing 39 in the modification provides the sealing of the interior of the primary valve against the exterior, and permits the necessary movement of the primary valve in operation. The wall of the primary valve is provided with a by-'pass, indicated at 2&3 and a flow-regulating screw 2i", similar to those parts in the preferred form. The secondary valve, indicated at l'l in the modication is identical with this part in the preferred form, and is to be operated by the operating lever of the preferred form. In other words, except for a slightly changed exterior formof the primary valve, and the provision of a guiding and sealing gasket or bushing 39, the modified form is similar in construction and operation to that of the preferred form.

The improved flush valve is simple to operate, has few parts, and may be installed without regard to peculiar requirements of a particular job. The operation is easily and positively controlled, the movement of the handle in a full-sized device being approximately threeeeighths of an inch in any direction. The secondary valve requires a slight tilting only to provide for subsequent flush, and ast this secondary valve is not held in any definite position', all possible sticking or failure to seat is avoided.

Of course the flush valve is to be constructed of any appropriate materials in the several parts, and in this connection the lcomplete' absence of any pivotal supports or other like parts liable to wear and rust in the presence of water.

In Figures 5, 6, and 7, there is shown a modified construction of the valve-stem assembly. This modified construction is designed to prevent any unauthorized removal of the handle proper, and provides for swiveling the handle to permit it to be turned in either direction without disturbing any partof the valve within the housing.

As will beapparent from the gures, the parts of the flush valve, other than the valve-stem assembly, are identical with the parts of the preferred form of Figure 1, and such Ysimilar parts are given the same reference characters as in Figure' 1, and are within the previous description.

Inthe modified arrangement, the flange 35 of n mary valve relative -to its seat, the secondary ternally threaded bore 45 below the partition 44 and a smooth bore 46 above the partition. 'Ihe sleeve member passes through a central opening in the ilange 42, andV a valve-stem 4l is passed through the parte and threaded into the threaded bore 45 of the sleeve member. The stem 41 depends for cooperation with the secondary valve, identical with the preferred form and indicated at The smooth-bore section 46 of the sleeve member 43 receives the lower end of a bolt 48, a l5 transverse pin 49 maintaining the connection, while permitting authorized disconnection. The bolt is headed at the upper end, as at 50, and an operating handle 5| is loosely mounted on the bolt, with its upper end recessed to receive the bolt head 5|, and its lower end bearing substantially in contact with the upper end of the sleeve member 43. The handle 5| is of course so tted to the bolt as to avoid play while permitting free rotation of the handle in any direction.

In the modified form being described, the handle 5| may be freely rotated in either direction without disturbing its operative connection in the assembly, and yet such handle cannot be removed byy any manipulation exteriorly of the housing, except by breakage. This avoids any unauthorized removal of the handle and prevents n ya not infrequent disadvantage of flush valves of the general character here described.

. inlet and an outlet, a valve seat above the outlet,

a hollow primary valve cooperating with saidv seat, said valve being balanced by the pressure o1' the water through the inlet to maintain the y, valve on its seat, the primary valve having a passage leading fromI its interior to the outlet, and avsecondary valve controlling such passage, a

' plate closing the upper end of the casing, a guiding wall carried by the plate and guiding the privalve beinghollow and open to the interior pressure on the primary valve, a lever rockable in l beyond the plate and secured to the casing to limit the play of the lever.

2. A flush valve comprising a casing having a lhorizontal water inlet, a vertical iushing outlet, and a closed top, a valve seat above the outlet, a hollow primary valve for cooperation with the seat and having a guiding connection with the closed top, means for balancing the water pressure of the inlet on opposed faces of the valve for normally maintaining same in seat engaging position, the primary valve having a passage leading from its interior to the outlet, a secondary valve cooperating with the passage for unbalancing the water pressure on the primary valve to cause it to move to open position, and a lever rockably mounted in the closed top and having a lower free end for directly engaging and unseating the secondary valve upon rocking movement of the lever, the free end being normally out of engagement with the secondary valve.

3. A construction as dened in claim 2 wherein said guiding connection comprises a cylindrical member supported by said closed top, and

wherein said primary valve has an external cylindrical surface in guiding and movable engagement with said cylindrical member.

4. A construction as defined in claim 2 wherein said guiding connection comprises a flexible bushing interconnecting said primary valve and said closed top.

5. A construction as defined in claim 2 wherein said secondary valve includes a frusto-conical wall within which the inner end of said lever is operatively disposed.

6. A flush valve comprising a casing having a horizontal inlet and a vertical outlet, a plate disposed on the top of the casing, a dome cap disposed on the plate and engaged with the casing for holding the plate in iixed position, a hollow primary valve controlling communication between the inlet and outlet, a by-pass admitting Water from the inlet to the interior of the valve for balancing the Water pressure on the valve, a passage in the valve interconnecting the interior thereof with the outlet for discharging water from the interior of the valve to unbalance the pressure thereon and cause same to move to open position, a secondary valve controlling said passage, a vertically disposed valve operating lever flexibly connected with said plate for universal rocking motion, the lower end of said lever extending toi a position relative to said secondary valve to engage and operate same upon being rocked, and lever guiding and limiting means associated with said dome cap.

7. A construction as defined in claim 6 wherein spring means are disposed between said plate and said dome cap and operatively associated with said lever for biasing same to normal or inoperative position.

EDGAR F. METZGER. 

